There is significant evidence that electric and magnetic fields influence the thermodynamics and kinetics of materials behavior. Electric fields have been shown to have an effect on numerous phenomena, including low-angle grain boundary motion in ionic crystals, sublimation of alkali halide crystals, phase transformation in alloys, plastic deformation in metals and ceramics, hardenability of steel, microstructural development in alloys, metal nuclei growth on ceramic substrates, wave dynamics of self-propagating reactions, nucleation of nanocrystallites in bulk metallic glasses, nucleation and growth of intermetallics and ceramic phases, and impregnation of ceramics or glasses with nanocrystalline particles to form functionally-graded materials. Large magnetic fields have been shown to modify solid-solid and solid-liquid phase equilibria, while microwave energy has been used to accelerate particle sintering kinetics. While various methodologies have been developed for bulk and particulate materials processing, it would be advantageous to develop a magnetic processing technique for planar and/or roll-to roll processing of thin films, thick films, and coatings.